Hon. Prime Minister Visits Art of Living: Inaugurating the Dhyan Mandir and 45 Years of Service
Lightness, warmth, and a promise to build a stronger India together mark the much-awaited meeting between Hon. Prime Minister and Gurudev.
May 10, 2026
Bangalore, India
100,000+ Hearts, One Celebration
Over 100,000 people from India and across the world came together at The Art of Living International Center, united in honoring 45 years of meditation, service, and shared human values.
Nine Nationwide Service Initiatives
The celebration also marked the launch of new initiatives in education, environmental action, rural development, digital literacy, healthcare, prison reform, and women’s and youth empowerment, deepening four and a half decades of grassroots seva.
Dhyan Mandir Inaugurated
India’s Prime Minister inaugurated the new lotus‑shaped Dhyan Mandir, a dedicated meditation hall envisioned as a space for silence, reflection, and collective practice for generations to come.
On 10 May 2026, the Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru became the site of a landmark gathering as the Honourable Prime Minister of Bharat, Narendra Modi, joined Gurudev to mark 45 years of The Art of Living and Gurudev’s 70th birthday.
The Hon. Prime Minister also inaugurated the magnificent Dhyan Mandir, a new meditation hall on the Art of Living campus. The facility will house programs for seekers from around the world to experience deep inner stillness through collective meditation, yoga, and wisdom.
Referring to the newly inaugurated meditation space, Dhyan Mandir, Shri Narendra Modi said, “I am confident that the Dhyan Mandir that has been inaugurated today will become a center of peace and solace for thousands of people in the coming generations.”
In his address, Prime Minister Modi also described Gurudev as “a living embodiment of India’s timeless tradition of giving” and spoke of spirituality’s essential role in nation-building: “A developed India will be built by youth who are mentally calm, socially responsible and sensitive towards society.”
Gurudev reflected warmly on India’s transformation, welcoming what he called a renewed national confidence: “Earlier, people abroad would say India could never rise like this. You proved them all wrong.”
“India has become the third largest ecosystem in the world in terms of start-ups. Our youth are now sending their satellites into space. The biggest reason for such achievements in the country is our youth and the Art of Living. The Art of Living is helping the youth to overcome the challenges of the modern era,”
– Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
“You have taken India to a new level. In less than ten years, you transformed India from a country that asked, into a country that gives.”
— Gurudev
The Hon. Prime Minister also oversaw the launch of nine nationwide service initiatives aimed at bringing inclusive development across education, youth and women empowerment, reforestation, environmental conservation, tribal welfare, healthcare, prison reform and digital literacy.
Under Mission Green Earth, The Art of Living has already planted more than 9 million saplings across 19 states and 121 districts in the last year. It now aims to plant 4.5 million moringa saplings and 17,500 “panchavati” tree groves of 87,500 trees to strengthen climate resilience, biodiversity, and community engagement.
The organisation also launched 12 RuTAGe Smart Village Centers across 11 states as holistic rural transformation hubs. Through its Youth Leadership Program and Women Leadership Program, it aims to train 50,000 youth and women in leadership and high-demand technical skills, building on an existing impact of over 600,000 beneficiaries.
The Sri Abhayam Project is being expanded into a 450-village tribal welfare mission focused on healthcare, education and livelihoods, while the Gram Digital Sevak Initiative will train village youth to help rural communities access welfare schemes, tele-health and digital services through AI-enabled tools.
Nine telemedicine centres are also being launched across several states to improve specialist healthcare access in underserved regions.
The Art of Living further announced the expansion of its prison reform initiatives through 1,000 programmes across 550 prisons benefiting nearly 60,000 inmates and staff with trauma relief and vocational training.
Its free education network, which currently spans 1,356 schools across 22 states and reaches over 120,000 children in 2,754 villages, will now expand to 2,000 schools. Women empowerment initiatives that have already impacted over 600,000 participants are also being scaled up with a goal to reach 1 million women and girls nationwide.
Across four and a half decades, The Art of Living has grown into one of the largest volunteer-driven humanitarian movements reaching more than a billion lives in 182 countries through breath, meditation, education and grassroots service. Today’s gathering was an affirmation of the simple yet powerful idea that a calmer mind, a kinder society and a healthier planet is possible.
The month-long celebrations have brought together over 100,000 participants and distinguished guests, including Union Ministers, Governors, and Members of Parliament, as well as entrepreneurs, civil servants, farmers, prison inmates rehabilitated through Art of Living programmes and international delegates. Some of the dignitaries include:
among other illustrious leaders.
Continue your happiness journey with Gurudev’s highly-rated meditation app. Sattva offers guided meditations, wisdom teachings, and practical techniques to enhance your daily wellbeing.
Download Sattva App
SOLUTION
